This invention relates to a method and apparatus for forming a bag about garments and the like, particularly to a system for moving open ended tubular bag material from a supply downwardly about a garment suspended from a hanger and then closing the upper portion of the tubular bag material that extends about the garment and cutting the closed bag away from the supply of tubular bag material.
Various bagging systems have been developed for the purpose of forming bags or envelopes about garments and other products, wherein tubular material is moved along its length to envelope the product and the tubular material is closed at one or both ends of the garment to form a bag or envelope about the garment. The prior art devices which separates the sides of the tubular bag material and supports a garment or the like as the tubular bag material is moved about the garment. For example, it is known in the prior art to support a bag opener device on a pair of spaced support members and pull the tubular bag material between the spaced support members and about the bag opening device.
One of the problems encountered in the prior art bagging system is the threading of the tubular bag material through the system when the bag material needs to be changed. For example, the bag opening device usually must be removed from the apparatus, the bag opener inserted into the new supply of tubular bag material, then the tubular bag material inserted through the remaining portion of the apparatus, and finally the bag opener device re-inserted in the assembly. This procedure usually is cumbersome and time consuming, sometimes requiring the skills of an experienced operator. In those instances where the tubular bag material must be changed on a frequent bases, as when some bag material includes a certain trademark or other printed information which is to be applied to some garments while other bag materials include different trademarks, etc. which are to be applied to other garments, the time and effort required to change the bag material tends to prohibit the change of the material, so that the manufacturer does not have a practical choice of appropriate trademarks or other printed information on the bags formed about the garments.